Drive or Fly: Cross Plains, WI to City of Janesville, WI?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for MSN–RFD. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

55.6 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 20m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cross Plains, WI → MSN 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → City of Janesville, WI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Cross Plains, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

City of Janesville, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and RFD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 3m

28m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cross Plains, WI → Portage 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 28m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → City of Janesville, WI 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Portage 31 mi, ~47m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~68m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 45m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2514

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cross Plains, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Janesville (Park and Ride) (5JV) → City of Janesville, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 13 mi, ~20m drive

To 5JV — Janesville (Park and Ride) 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 14m	3h 20m	3h 3m	1h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$5	$4
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

55.6 mi 1h 14m

via I 39; I 90, US 14

Alternative (+6 min)

55.8 mi 1h 20m

via US 14, US 51; CTH F

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cross Plains, WI to City of Janesville, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.